Happily Ever After?
by muggledad
Summary: An AU Post DH/EWE where two unlikely heroes meet, fall in love and hopefully find their Happily Ever After. Harry/Kara with background Clark/Diana.


**The Haggard Hag**

He sat at the bar, his face dirty and grimy. Being in the general vicinity of a forty seven story building as it's destroyed is a messy business. Being nearly underneath it as it became rubble is a very messy business.

The whisky in his glass swirled once, twice but before it made a third circuit in the glass, he upended the container, pouring the alcohol down his throat.

Harry let out a loud shuddering sigh. It wasn't the burn of the Glenmorangie that was troubling him. The warm glow as it made its way to his stomach was welcome even though mundane booze had nothing on Firewhiskey. The tear that tracked down his sooty cheek indicated the true nature of his distress. Without looking, he motioned to the publican. Tossing a hundred quid on the bar to set up his tab, he murmured, "Thanks," as the amber liquid was placed in front of him.

"Kara," he whispered; the agony real and fresh in his voice. "Oh, my love." Once, twice the whisky swirled in his glass before making its way down Harry's throat.

Unable to bear the driving pain in his chest, he laid his forehead on the bar. Deep gulping breaths didn't sooth the burning in his chest. She was his love, his everything.

She should have been there by now. If she was able, that is.

.oOo.

Unheeded by the suffering young man, the door to the pub opened, admitting a stunning young woman wearing a blue and red outfit while sporting a red cape. She strode purposefully into the main room, scanning the inhabitants. When she zeroed in on her lover, Kara Zor-El, nearly ran to him.

Sliding on to the barstool next to him, all she needed to do was reach for him. As her slim fingers caressed his neck before entwining in his hair, he began to sob in relief.

Her own tears began to fall. She'd thought he was dead. They'd been separated by the falling building, and she'd been unable to find him in the rubble and he wasn't answering his communicator. Nearly out of control in her panic, she ignored the calls from the other as she reaffirmed that Kryptonians are truly 'faster than a speeding bullet' as she made her way to their rendezvous point: The Haggard Hag.

They'd met there. Fallen in love there. He'd hoped for a Happily Ever After there. Apparently it was a vain hope.

It was in a small village in Wales. Everyone who frequented the local knew exactly who Harry and Kara were. No one ever spoke of the heroes in their midst. It was why no one went rushing to pull out their mobile when Supergirl arrived at the pub to embrace The Warlock.

Gently taking his hand, she waited for his storm to pass. Ruthlessly, she shoved her own panic to the side. She loved him. He came first.

He squeezed her hand as hard as he could, the emotions buffeting and drowning him. "I thought I'd lost you," his harsh gasp guttered out.

"Never," she replied in a low tone. "Never."

"I'd already begun to miss you. It was too much."

"Oh, Harry," she groaned in sympathetic agony. She too had suffered. The idea of living without him had been overwhelming. Far too much to even truly consider, much less experience and feel.

His face turned to her. Dirty and red from heat and emotion, Harry's burning eyes lanced through her indestructible body to burrow into her soul. He was the only one who touched her heart. He was the only one who understood _her. _He was the only one whom she loved. He was the only one.

"I love you," he hissed. His emotional pain was nearly a physical suffering.

Now her emotion overflowed. Unable to speak, she merely squeezed him back. Tears began to flow down Kara's face leaving tracks similar to Harry's. Finally, she choked out, "I love you. Forever."

They sat there, staring at each other for a long moment. Each savouring the other's presence. Without warning, he stood, tugging her hand to lead them out of the pub. Silent, she followed. Just outside, he pulled her into his arms, twisted and they both vanished in a silent Apparition.

Reappearing in the entry hall of his ancestral home, they lunged for each other. Mouths locked, tongues fighting for dominance, she pulled his clothes off while he vanished hers. With a grunt, he pushed her up against the wall while burying himself deep inside her.

"Home," he murmured. She arched her back, wrapping her long legs around his waist.

Their coupling was hard, fast and furious. Claiming, reassuring and carnal, they gave and took. After she cried her release, he followed over the edge. Panting, they sank to the floor. She curled into his lap while he wrapped her in the loving circle of his arms.

His emotion was too raw to be eloquent, too insistent to be supressed and too present to be avoided.

"Marry me," he demanded.

"Yes," she replied. "Always."

With another half twist, they appeared in their bed. Slowly, lovingly, he made love to her. Worshiping her with his body, mind and magic, he loved her as best he knew. He delved into her mind where she welcomed him, full willing. Their consciousness mixed, melded and swirled in an ecstasy of love. At the end, she was sobbing while he silently wept.

"Never leave me again," she demanded. Their path had been torturous to get to this point. Without him, she was a shell, without him, she had nothing. She needed him. Needed to give to him, receive from him for only together were they whole. Everything else was irrelevant. Krypton was long dead. Harry was self-exiled from the magical world. All that mattered was their love. Their passion. Their unity.

"Never," he replied. "I'm yours."

"As I am yours," she agreed.

.oOo.

**Meetings**

.oOo.

"Pardon me, may I join you? Everywhere else seems to be full."

Harry nearly dropped his fork in surprise. Staring at the young woman hovering over his table, he was speechless. When she raised her eyebrows in mute query, he shook his head. "Sorry. Please join me." Rising from his chair, he scurried around to the other side of the table to hold out a chair for his new dining partner.

"Thank you," she murmured as she sat. Harry couldn't help but admire the blonde. She was very beautiful with a wholesome attractiveness that stirred even the dying embers of his own psyche.

Retaking his seat, he motioned to the publican. "Not much to eat here, but the old standbys will do," he told her in an undertone.

She half smiled, "Pardon my complete ignorance, but what are 'the old standbys'?"

Curling his mouth in the imitation of a smile, he asked, "American?"

With a cute shrug that caused Harry to glance down to her chest, she demurred, "I'm not from around here."

Refocusing on her admittedly beautiful face, Harry smiled. It was easy to like…what was her name? The obnoxious unconscious admonitions from his Aunt prodded him. "I'm sorry. I'm being rude. I'm Harry Potter. Welcome to Harlech."

"Kara Kent, late of Metropolis, and now a world traveller."

Her eyes sparkled blue for a moment and Harry was mesmerized.

.oOo.

_Great Rao but his eyes are gorgeous._

Kara was pulled into his gaze. Harry projected power and vulnerability. Great pain and yet great compassion. She'd only begun to chat with him, yet she wanted to know this man.

"What'll you be havin' Miss?" the barman inquired with a thick Welsh lilt.

With wide eyes, Kara looked first to the publican then back to her new friend. "Harry?" she asked looking for a recommendation.

"You like fish?" he asked.

"Sure."

Nodding, he told the barman, "Fish and chips, Tom."

The man knuckled his forehead before muttering, "My Lord," and moved off.

Ignoring the oddities of the barman, Kara leaned on the table, "You don't speak like a Welshman. Where are you from?"

With a shy smile, he replied, "Well, my father's family home is just up the road, but I was orphaned when I was one. My mother's relatives over in England raised me."

Unable to help herself, Kara scooped up his hand, "Sorry. I'm an orphan too."

He shrugged, fiddling with his glasses. "I try not to let it define me."

That one statement displayed a depth and breadth to Harry Potter that changed the rest of Kara's life.

"So why were you so taken aback when I first asked to join you?" she asked as she leaned back in her chair and took a draught of her bitter.

He silently laughed to himself as he cut a chunk of sausage and dipped it in mashed potatoes. "I met one of my best friends - brother really – on a train. He asked me nearly the same question." She watched him take a bit of his sausage mess and deliberately chew while his eyes unfocused in remembrance. "It just took me back."

"What was his name?" Without asking, she knew that this friend was gone. He was either dead or had left Harry behind. The wistfulness and pain that lurked in his face told the story. The dark haired man across from her was handsome, to be sure, but there was a substance to him that Kara had never known in a man whom she wasn't related to be either blood or adoption. Harry Potter was a man whom she wanted to know better. Much better.

"Ron," he replied softly as he stared at long ago scenes. "Ron Weasley was his name and he was my friend."

There was a pull in her chest that overtook the ache that'd been constant for the last six months or so. Since Clark…. Shaking off the thread that she couldn't bear to follow, Kara asked, "Tell me about him." Nodding to the publican who slid a plate in front of her, she smiled and sipped her beer as Harry began his story.

They ate and talked. At one point, he had her laughing so hard with the story of his reunion with the Weasleys before his third year, a chunk of fish shot out of her mouth, bouncing off his nose. That in turn, caused the two of them to dissolve into hysterical laughter.

.oOo.

After his third stout, he mustered the courage to ask, "How long are you in the area?"

She smiled enigmatically, "Well, I was just going to stay the night before passing through."

His stomach dropped as his face fell. She'd told him about her climbing Snowdon earlier in the day. He'd hoped she was to stay about for a bit longer. He really enjoyed her company. "Oh," he replied half-heartedly.

"But maybe you can convince me to stay around for a while. Show me some of the local sights and all." Her puckish expression warmed his heart.

Now his smile returned full force. "I'll do my best. I've only been at Rowan Hill for the last year or so." Feeling mischievous, he teased, "in fact, it's one of the most beautiful homes in the country. You should probably start your sightseeing there."

_What the bloody hell am I saying? What a bloody pervert, Potter._

.oOo.

_Maybe we can begin with your bedroom, hot stuff._

Her impish smile broadened to a grin. She had no schedule, no itinerary. Diana had established a generous travel account for her before Kara had left, so money wasn't an issue. Poor Diana. She loved Clark so much.

Forcing herself to concentrate on the present, she teased, "So are you asking me to stay with you? I mean, we just met and all."

Her heart skipped when he leaned forward, regarding her over his glasses and smiled. The smile was devastatingly striking. "What if I am?"

She gave a low chuckle, "Oh, Harry. You're playing with fire."

He shrugged playfully. "Maybe." He couldn't hold the straight face any longer. "Ok, I give." His laughter caught him up. "You can stay. I'll even give you an entire wing to yourself for your privacy."

Kara couldn't help the broad smile. "I like you Harry. I accept your offer."

He toasted her with his beer.

.oOo.

"Let me get that," he murmured. Reaching for her bag as it lay near the door of the pub, he waved his hand at it rendering it featherlight.

"Oh, you don't have to," Kara objected.

"No worries," he demurred. Buttoning his jacket, he nodded to her. "Sorry, I don't have an auto. I usually just…walk to town." He'd been about to say Apparate, but that probably wouldn't go over too well. Turning to the door, he opened it for his new friend. She didn't see the slight sneer that slid across his features.

_The Ministry can bugger itself. I'll tell her about magic if I want to and they can fuck off._

Smothering his long term resentment of the Magical Government of Britain, he caught up with Kara. It was a cloudless night of the full moon. The pure white light seemed to illuminate the landscape as brightly as daylight. And the inhabitants of the landscape.

"What?" she asked when he stared at her.

_You're completely magnificent,_ he thought, but toned it down to, "Your hair is very beautiful. It seems to glow in the moonlight."

She smiled at the compliment. "Thanks. Which way?" she asked, looking about the moonlit town.

Pointing to the road out of town, he began walking. "This way." They set a brisk pace, continuing their conversation from earlier.

"So, why are you in Wales?" he asked.

When the happy expression on her striking face fell to despair, Harry kicked himself. _Note to self: not a good topic_. "I'm sorry. You don't have to explain if you'd rather not," he backpedalled.

She shrugged. "My cousin Clark…well, he's really like a brother to me. He was killed recently."

Harry closed his eyes in mortification, self-loathing and regret. "Oh, God, Kara. I'm so sorry."

"Thanks," she whispered. "Everywhere I turned, I saw Clark. I just needed to get away. His…girlfriend I guess you'd call her, is really well off. Diana's like an older sister of mine so when I told her I had to leave, she set me up to travel for as long as I needed."

He never knew why he did it, but Harry dropped her bag in the middle of the road before pulling her into his arms. At first, he just held her, feeling her slowly relaxing into his embrace. Then, he blurted, "Ron's dead." She pulled away, her blue eyes looking up into his with a questioning pain. "I understand, I mean," he added disjointedly. He'd never spoken of Ron's death, much less _hers_ but for some reason he needed to tell his new friend about his all-but-brother's murder at the hand of the Death Eaters.

He couldn't just tell part of the story. He needed to tell her _all_ the story.

Holding out his hand, he asked, "Do you trust me?" He'd made his decision with typical Harry Potter speed. Snape would've sneered at his 'impulsive, rash Gryffindor foolery'. If the greasy bastard was still alive, that is.

She narrowed her eyes at him, with an evaluative expression. After a long moment, Kara nodded. "I guess I do."

"Take my hand and don't freak out."

Now she smiled. "Do your worst."

Returning her smile, he muttered, "Here goes." With a half twist, he side along Apparated her to the entryway of Rowan Hill.

.oOo.

**Revelations**

.oOo.

"Magic."

Harry frowned. He was confused. Kara's calm and even annoyed reaction to his summary of Magic and his being a wizard wasn't what he expected. Derision and disbelief? Sure. Fear and screaming. Uh-hunh. Fangirl squealing? Maybe, but doubtful given the type of woman that Kara was. Calm acceptance and understanding? Not really.

Taking the bull by the horns, he observed, "You're not too weirded out by this, are you?" Come to think of it, she'd only blinked when he'd Apparated her to the house.

A cynical chuckle escaped her as she sat back in the chair. Rolling her head back on the headrest, Kara stared at the ceiling for a long minute. Deciding to go for broke, he spoke aloud, "Dobby, please bring Miss Kent and me tea."

She lifted her head, looked at him for a moment before quirking a perfect eyebrow in query. Trying to inject a bit of levity into a very strange situation, he winked at her, "You'll see."

A heartbeat later, the grey green butler for Rowan Hill appeared, a silver tea service in his hands. "For my Lord Harry Potter Sir!" he piped as he lay the service.

Kara snorted with amusement.

After Dobby _popped_ away, Harry told her without prompting, "He's a house elf. He takes care of me." Picking up the teapot, he asked, "Tea?"

She ignored the question. "You know, Harry. I was thinking that you were a really nice guy. Pretty hot. We could have a lot of fun together."

He frowned again, this time because he was annoyed. "And what changed?"

Her head flopped back on the chair. "Have you ever heard of Superman?" Her tone was leading and quiet.

Harry shrugged, "Sure."

"And his cousin? Do you remember her?"

"Yeah, she's Supergirl…," Harry trailed off as the obvious conclusion dawned on him.

Sorrow enveloped him. Standing, he moved to the side of her chair before squatting on his haunches. Taking her hands in his, he looked into her puzzled face. "I'm even sorrier about your cousin now."

The puzzlement turned to cold anger. "Because he was Superman?"

"No," he countered quietly. "Because he was so brutally taken from you."

Her anger melted and in that moment, for the first of many times, Harry saw directly into Kara's soul. Loosed were the vulnerability, grief, fear and sense of aloneness that had penetrated and pervaded her being since that day when Doomsday and Clark had killed each other.

A crystalline tear tracked down her cheek, perfect in its anguish. Harry knew what was coming. He waited. Her impossibly blue eyes held his with the strength of their pain. "I miss him…," she whispered.

Without speaking, he slid in front of her, enveloping her into his arms just as the first sob wracked her body.

Closing his eyes, he gently Levitated them to the couch, allowing him to hold her as the storm of emotions ran its course. A tendril of magic lit the fire in the oversized fireplace, causing the tree trunks in there to burn merrily. A twitch of his finger Summoned the throw blanket from the corner of the room where Dobby kept it. Mid-flight, it unfolded before wrapping itself around Harry and Kara. With a last thought, he conjured a box of tissues. They'd need them.

Eventually, her tears slowed to sniffles. Handfuls of tissues were used followed by a super-sized blowing of her nose.

"Nice," Harry teased, hoping he could lighten the mood a bit.

She gave him the bird. He smirked.

When Kara slouched back on the couch, she leaned on Harry as she nestled the blanket about them. It was a comfortable closeness where both drew feelings of safety and security from the presence of the other.

Softly, he began, "We were on the run a few years back. That dark wizard I told you about…?"

"Voldemort?" she asked.

"Yeah, him. Well, he'd pretty much taken over everything. Ron, Hermione and I were leading the resistance. It was a mess. We were always short on food. It was a horridly cold winter. Life just sucked all over, but we were making progress so it was Ok. Then Ron got captured."

She slowly drew in a breath. He'd not tried to make a dramatic scene, but the offhand nature of his delivery had done that for him. Trying not to let the pain of the memory cripple him, Harry looked at their loosely joined hands for a long minute. Blurting it out in a rush, Harry told her, "They mailed us the pieces of his corpse a week later."

"Oh, God," she murmured in horror.

"Yeah. It was pretty much the worst thing that'd ever happened to me at that point."

Kara caught the phrasing of his statement. "There was worse later?"

He nodded glumly. "Hermione."

"Do I want to know?" she asked with a hint of trepidation.

"No. You really don't. If you know that there are people in this world that are more brutal than animals and lack the common decency of a predator, then you can surmise that her death was a crime against humanity."

Words became inadequate. They were quiet and time passed. Finally, she spoke.

"I'm sorry."

In the dark of the room time became a variable. It was warm and safe. "About what?"

"What I said earlier. About you and me."

"You don't think I'm hot?"

She smiled at his deadpan delivery. "Oh, no. You're kickin'." He snorted his laughter. "I…I was hoping that you'd be a normal guy and we could have fun." Her voice took on a faraway tone. "So I could forget."

Time ebbed.

"Do you really want to forget your cousin? Do you want to forget Clark?"

"No," she whispered.

Laying her head on his shoulder seemed the most natural thing in the world.

"I never want to forget Ron and Hermione. My parents. Sirius and Remus. None of them; even if it hurts like hell to think of them."

The crackling of the fire seemed to be a living thing as they stared into its depths. "You know that tomorrow we have to go be unspeakably silly to counter all this extreme seriousness."

Kara smiled. A wide sincere smile that was a symptom of the first honest happiness she'd had since Clark had died. He wasn't gone; never would be gone from her heart. But she was beginning to come to terms with it. "Where are we going?"

"I have no idea, but I want to have fun tomorrow."

"So do I," and her blue melded with his green.

.oOo.

**Images**

.oOo.

"So, what do you do to keep from running mad from boredom?" Kara asked.

They were strolling through the massive gardens on the landward side of the estate. Encompassing over twenty acres, they were a testimony to the ingenuity, appreciation of natural beauty and the magical nature of the Potter family across the centuries.

"Well, I run every day. Usually five to seven miles. Helps burn off energy and keep me fit."

He fingered a thorn on a magically fostered Acacia tree. "I do a bit of gardening, but to be honest, there's far too many negative memories associated with that activity for me to do much."

Regarding her with a hint of caution in his manner he told her, "I volunteer at an orphanage in Cardiff three days a week."

"Really?" she asked him with awe. All the epic battles she'd participated in were storied and chronicled in the history of the planet, but she never felt like she made a real difference to the everyday lives of people. Watching Harry's shy manner that seemed gratified by her response made her think that Harry was as much, if not more, of a hero than she could ever be.

.oOo.

They were eating Fish and Chips out of a newspaper with a wooden fork. Sharing their meal, Kara asked, "Why is this healthy again?"

He cocked an eyebrow at her. "And you're worrying about your cholesterol because why?"

She poked him in the side, causing him to grunt and mutter, "Damn, woman."

.oOo.

"What're you doing?" Kara asked as Harry was fixed over the biggest book she'd ever seen. Taking a bite of the apple in her hand, she leaned forward.

"Looking for something," he replied distractedly.

"No. Really?" she countered with sarcastic disbelief.

Straightening from his reading, he smiled at her softly, "Just a potion I remember Hermione mentioning once."

With a saucy smile, she quipped, "Is it a love potion?"

"Do I need one?" he immediately asked. Humour flared in her eyes while she drowned just a little bit more in his. There was an undeniable attraction between the two of them, but neither was courageous enough to pursue it right then.

She'd been destroyed by Clark's death. He'd been the Last Son of Krypton just as she was the Last Daughter of Krypton. Now, she was the Sole Survivor. Emotionally, she was a wreck.

He'd lost everyone he'd ever loved and, if her guess was right, his first love.

Licking her lips, she eyed Harry up and down. "You _are_ pretty fit. All that running has paid off."

Failing to smother his smile, he replied, "Admit it. You want some of the Potter goods."

Throwing her head back in raucous laughter, Kara collapsed in the nearby chair, breaking it to splinters.

Through half lidded eyes, she saw him laughing along with her as he waved his hand, magically repairing the chair.

"Harry, you're the best."

.oOo.

"Why are we up here again? Harry, even on your cute little broom, you can fly higher than this Millennium Wheel."

"It's about the ride, Kara and my broom isn't cute nor is it little."

Kara rolled her eyes. "Fine. Since you obviously translate your magically enchanted branch and twigs as a phallic representative of your manhood Harry, I will unequivocally validate that you have a massive penis and can wield it mightily." Turning to his burning red face, she smiled, "Satisfied?"

"I...never said…what…Hey!" he scowled at her while pointing a finger in her face. "Did you look?"

She grinned wickedly. "I'll never tell."

.oOo.

"It's really beautiful here."

They were sitting on the cliff overlooking Tremadoc bay. The sun had just set leaving the sky overhead full dark while the horizon was still a dusky orange. Harry leaned back on a large rock while Kara dangled her feet over the cliff ledge as they looked over the waves to the horizon.

"You must've seen many worlds that are more beautiful than this little landscape," Harry murmured.

She shrugged. "There is a simplicity and innocence in the beauty here that I treasure. It's uncomplicated and straightforward."

Harry silently agreed. This view was what sold Rowan Hill for him as his full time residence. True, the magical portraits of his family were nice. He'd learned so much about the Potter family in the last year that his long simmering rage at his deceased Headmaster had flared on more than one occasion. This view was far more than the beauty and opulence of the house. Outstripping the history of the estate was this view of the Bay and sunset every night.

"Thank you for sharing this with me," Kara told him without looking away from the horizon.

"You're welcome," he murmured.

.oOo.

"So the goal is to lay down cards that add up to fifteen, a straight, a pair, three of a kind or even four of a kind?"

Harry nodded, "Without going over thirty one."

"And that's a go or you get two if it's exactly thirty one," she replied in confirmation.

"Exactly." Figuring that he'd go easy on her, Harry told her, "The same applies to your hand plus the cut card but you also can score off a flush. You go ahead and deal first."

Looking over his hand, he saw a pair of aces, the two of clubs, the three of diamonds, the seven of spades and the eight of clubs. Frowning, he tossed the seven and eight to Kara's crib. He hated tossing away points, but he felt that it would be a boost to her confidence to score some in her crib on her first hand.

He grumbled a bit to see the five of hearts be cut. Now would be the time for a double run of face cards.

Harry led his three.

Kara played the five of clubs. He frowned. Already, she had the makings of a good hand.

He played the two.

She flashed out the five of diamonds. "That's for two, right?" she asked.

He grunted his assent. No matter how much he liked her, he was still very competitive.

Tossing, an ace he muttered, "For sixteen."

She tossed _another _five – of spades – "For twenty one".

Too annoyed by her fantastic hand to correct her play, he tossed his last ace, "Twenty two."

"Go."

Rolling his eyes, he knew what her last card had to be. Of course it was. There was no other possibility.

She lay down the Jack of hearts.

In a very prim voice, she announced, "I believe that my hand is worth twenty nine."

He nodded. "Eight." His double run didn't seem so exciting now.

Narrowing his eyes at her, he asked, "You didn't throw a seven and eight to the crib, did you?"

With a half-smile, she shook her head. "Nope. It was a six and seven."

Groaning he moved his peg a paltry eight spots.

.oOo.

Kara rounded the corner at the shop to see a young brunette chatting at Harry. She was pretty, petite and had huge breasts. Frowning, Kara noticed that she was nearly rubbing herself over Harry like a cat in heat.

"So you're the Potter heir? I'd heard that you'd all moved to London or maybe even Paris."

The tittering giggle that fell out of the girl's mouth made Kara want to vomit. It also inspired a strong desire to punch the twit so hard her enormous bosom would reverberate for a good week.

Harry gave the girl an uncomfortable smile as he tried to edge away.

A blast of jealously engulfed Kara as she watched the trampy brunette sidle up to Harry again.

Narrowing her eyes, Kara took matters into her own hands. Swaying her hips as she strode across the room, she made sure she was in full view of not only Harry, but everyone else in the boutique. With an absent bump, she knocked the girl out of the way before wrapping her arms about Harry's neck. He watched her warily as she purred, "Harry, darling. I'm absolutely worn out from last night. Let's get this and go." Leaning in, she nipped at his neck, "I need to catch up on the sleep that you deprived me of last night."

Her enhanced senses noted his increased heartbeat, thick breathing and in increase in body temperature. She grinned to herself.

The _tap-tap-tap_ of shoes indicated the other girl had cleared off.

"Kara?"

Still entwined in him, the blonde murmured, "Hmm?"

"If you don't get off, some things might happen."

She chuckled as she disengaged. Patting his cheek, she told him, "Just looking out for you, Harry."

.oOo.

"Harry, don't be a dick."

Exasperated, he nearly shouted back, "I'm not being a dick. You're being stubborn and unreasonable."

She rolled her eyes, infuriating him, "Don't do that."

"What?" she replied with venom.

"That eye roll thing. It's rude, disrespectful and just childish."

Her cheeks taking on a hint of pink, she jabbed her finger at him, "So you're my father now? Shut your gob, Potter!"

With mock surprise, he mooned, "Oooooh, she picked up on British slang. Aren't you cool."

"Aaaand he's back to being a dick."

Harry shut his eyes while clenching his teeth as he counted backwards from twenty. Around seven, a fairly important point occurred to him. When he got to zero, he opened his eyes to see a still fuming Kara glaring at him. With real confusion, he asked, her, "Kara? What are we fighting about?"

.oOo.

"You want to see something magical?"

Kara laughed, "That sounds like an extremely cheesy pickup line, Harry."

He grinned at her. "No. 'Would you like to come see my potion stores,' is a cheesy pickup line. Anyway, want to go?"

Dropping her book on the table, she popped to her feet. "Sure. Where are we going?"

A wave of his hand magicked her coat to Kara's waiting hands. After living together for two months, she was completely inured to his commonplace use of his power. "Well?"

He tugged his own coat on. Buttoning the front, he told her, "We're going to Stonehenge."

Five minutes later, they'd paid their five quid each and stood admiring the view.

"You know, the story is that Merlin built this for King Arthur," Harry murmured. Wiltshire was a bit chilly so he surreptitiously cast a Warming charm on himself and Kara. He knew that she didn't need it, but she'd told him that she enjoyed the magical warmth. "Arthur sent his father, Merlin and fifteen thousand knights to Ireland to claim these stones," he gestured to the massive granite slabs. "They were supposed to have been brought to Ireland from Africa by giants because of their healing properties. The knights slew untold Irish but only Merlin had the ability to move them…"

Harry drifted off, lost in the story.

Softly, Kara asked, "Is it true?"

Just as softly, Harry replied, "I don't know. But look." Taking her hand, he murmured a spell.

She gasped. Suddenly she could see the multi-coloured eddies and currents of what could only be magic as it moved about the site. With this augmented sight, she could see where dozens of other stones had stood in rings around the remaining stones. It was like standing in the middle of a magical waterfall.

"Amazing," she breathed. Neither let go of the other's hand for the rest of the visit.

.oOo.

"Let's fly," she prodded him. "You on your cute little broom and me as my superpowered sexy self."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Sounds like fun." A gesture caused his broom to appear in his hands. "Race you," he cried as he hopped on the broom and disappeared.

"Oh, you cheater," she scowled as she shot out the window.

.oOo.

**Teddy**

.oOo.

She looked up as he headed by the sitting room. Frowning, she hurried to the door. "Where are you going?" she asked as he opened the front door.

The considering expression on his face was a surprise. Harry had been very open with her about his life. She'd accompanied him on more than one of his visits to Mother Wilma's orphanage in Cardiff. To see him working alongside the other volunteers and with the kids was heart-warming. Not a very maternal woman, it warmed Kara's heart nonetheless.

She was surprisingly relieved to see the considering expression resolve itself into a small smile. "Remember how I told you about Remus and Tonks?"

"Sure. Moony and the Metamorph."

"They had a son before…" he trailed off. A flash of old grief flitted across his features. Settling, he continued, "Well. I'm his godfather."

Her eyebrows jumped up. "So, you're going to go visit?" She didn't want to push herself into the situation, but she wanted to meet this boy whom Harry protected so assiduously.

Nodding slowly, he regarded her. "Would you like to meet him?"

Kara grinned. "Very much. I'll just grab some shoes and we can get going.

.oOo.

It was a middle class house in a middle class neighbourhood. The house had character, though. The paint scheme wasn't dull or bland. The flowerbeds were slightly overgrown in a stylish manner. Altogether the house was a vibrant presence on the street.

Looking closer, Kara saw the beginning of neglect in the house. The paint was just faded enough so that it should've been re-painted a year or two before. There were more weeds than usual for a well-designed garden and two of the house numbers were hanging askew.

Harry led the way up the path. Reaching the door, he gave it a quick _rap-rap-rap_. Kara stood a little back from him, but still close enough to Harry indicating that they were together for the visit. The door opened to reveal an older woman – Andromeda Tonks Harry had said – holding a toddler in her arms.

"Harry!" she greeted the careworn lines of her face vanishing in a broad smile.

"'Arry!" the toddler repeated showing an oddly toothy smile in such a young lad.

"Hullo, Andi." He reached out for the boy, "This is Kara. I thought I'd introduce her to you and our little man."

She smiled at the older woman, "Pleased to meet you."

"Nice to meet you." She raised her eyebrows at Harry with a questioning look. He ignored her.

The boy's sandy coloured hair shifted to a messy black that was the spitting image of Harry's hair. Looking closer, she saw that the boy's eyes had become a deep emerald green like his godfather's.

"Come in, come in," Andromeda beckoned as she backed out of the doorway while handing Teddy to Harry. "Tea?"

"That'd be wonderful," Kara replied as she closed the door behind her. She blinked when Andromeda drew her wand and conjured a tea set, Summoned tea cakes and set the water to boil with a few deft wand movements. It was odd to see someone use a wand to do magic. Due to Harry's unusual circumstance, she never got to see him use his wand. He'd shown her the holly and phoenix feather wand, but usually he just willed the spell to happen. Sometimes there was an accompanying gesture, but not always.

Kara sat on the chesterfield watching Harry roll on the ground with Teddy. Harry was currently doing a spot on imitation of a pig to the young boy's delight.

"I've never met an American witch before," Andromeda commented as she handed Kara a cup of tea.

Taken aback, Kara could only reply, "Oh. Well...," she looked to Harry with a hard look for him to explain.

"Kara's not a witch, Andi," he stated. There was a definitive air about his statement something which told Andromeda not to argue or question Kara's status with Harry.

"Oh," Andromeda murmured as she looked at Kara with confusion and apprehension. She surreptitiously tried to hide her wand in the folds of her skirt.

Harry rolled his eyes while Kara smiled slightly. "Kara is fully in the know about magic, though. She's not your normal muggle."

"Oh." Now the comment was more relaxed. Turning back to the muggle who wasn't a muggle, Andi asked, "Tell me something about yourself, Kara."

.oOo.

"I like Teddy," Kara told Harry as they walked to the stand of trees from where they were to Apparate back to Wales.

"Yeah, he's brilliant," Harry agreed with a heavy tone.

Reading into his mood, she ventured, "You're a great godfather, you know." Wrapping her arm in his, she leaned her head on his shoulder. "What are you worried about?"

He shrugged. "I didn't have a very good role model for a father figure when I was growing up. Andi's health is failing, so I expect to be getting custody of Ted sooner rather than later and that scares the hell out of me." He looked down at his toes, "I don't want to be like Vernon."

She felt so bad for him. "There is no way you could ever be such an abusive and unpleasant guardian, Harry. It's not in you."

He regarded her with curiosity, "Really?"

Nodding, Kara reassured him. "Definitely." Giving his arm a friendly squeeze, "You're a good man, Harry Potter. You don't give yourself enough credit." She paused, regarding him while he watched her. Finally, she pronounced, "You'll be a great Dad."

He smiled, relieved. "Thanks."

.oOo.

**Truth…and More Truth**

They were at the Hag, having a late afternoon meal. Neither Harry nor Kara wanted a scrumptious Dobby cooked meal. The greasy pub food was calling out to both of them.

Looking at her ale, Kara commented, "You know, I've never been drunk. I could drink five hundred gallons of this and never get intoxicated." Sighing, she muttered, "How sad."

Harry looked this way and that before leaning over the table, "I can fix that." She'd admitted that despite her amazing physical capabilities, she was just as susceptible to magic as the next Muggle.

Her eyes widened, "A little flim-flam and wham?"

Rolling his eyes at her euphemism for magic, he nodded.

She leaned back in her chair, regarding him with a small smile. "Hit me."

He winked at her. Magic moved.

She reeled. "Whoa."

A dopey grin broadened on her face as Harry leaned back in his chair, his feet up on the hearth grate.

"Harry," the Kryptonian beauty giggled. "I'm fairly smashed."

"Intoxication Hex. Fairly potent."

She regarded him for a moment before sniggering.

"What?" he asked with a smile. A drunk Kara was really happy.

"I was just thinking that I really want to fuck you silly right now."

Harry blinked.

She giggled.

_Must not take advantage of hot, horny, drunk chick who wants to play with my boys._ Harry took a deep breath, "Really?"

"Oh, yeah. You're delicious and I really like you too. I might even love you, but I'm not sure."

The pain flared deep inside. Forcing the smile to stay on his face, he replied, "I really like you, too. You're the most important person in the world to me." The small wave of his hand cast the Finishing Spell. This experiment was going places that he simultaneously wanted to embrace and wanted to avoid.

Kara began to blink rapidly as the effects of the spell vanished. Her eyes widened in mortification as she remembered what she said to Harry. Standing, she muttered, "I…I've got to…do something very important…yeah, important…." Her panic had a nearly olfactory aspect to it in its intensity.

Harry reached over the table, "Please stay."

Her face red, Kara wouldn't look at him.

Standing, he moved to her, "Please. You're my best friend. Nothing you can do or say will hurt that."

He was surprised that he'd not only said it, but meant it. In his teen years, it'd taken earth-shattering incidents for him to forge the ties of friendship with Ron, Hermione, Remus, Tonks and the others. Now, he found himself willingly binding himself to this young woman who was so much like himself, yet so very different.

The red receded a bit. "You're my best friend, too, Harry," she whispered as her eyes finally met his.

Nodding, he rearranged her chair, "Good. Let's eat and then head back to the house for a long, cosy afternoon in front of the fire. I'll even let you beat me at cribbage."

He could tell that she was grateful that he was politely ignoring her lack of brain/mouth filter when inebriated. Using all his extensive will power, Harry shoved away his own desire to shag Kara rotten. It'd never been like this with Hermione. This incredibly powerful attraction and pull to the blonde alien was astounding.

Yet, she was his best friend.

And he wanted her to be his lover.

Not so different than before after all. It was merely a question of intensity. He'd never wanted someone in the way that he wanted Kara. True, he wanted to shag her silly, but he also wanted to devote himself to her happiness, do all within his power to help and protect her. He wanted to be with her when he woke and beside her when he want to sleep.

His mind flinched. What they'd done to Hermione had been truly evil. Looking across the table at Kara as she was lost in her own thoughts, he realized that they could hurt her in similar ways that they'd hurt Hermione.

Shuddering in fear and pain, Harry knew he'd go dark should that ever come to pass. No ward, no protection and no spell would stop the Master of Death from wreaking his vengeance should any fool dare hurt his Kara.

He didn't want to do that. He'd killed enough in this lifetime.

Sighing to himself, Harry took a pull on his stout, _She has enemies of her own. Powerful people who want to do her harm. The remnants of the Death Eaters are just one more group._ He couldn't help himself. Looking over his glass, he caught her gaze.

"For the record, I want to fuck you silly, too."

Kara gave him a small smile. There was hope and relief. In exposing himself in this way, they were on even ground. Her embarrassment was gone.

Her face fell, "But?"

"I'm thinking that this is a bad time for both of us."

Her eyes narrowed in anger. _Damn, how did Krypton survive for so long if they all had these tempers?_

"Are you playing the martyr, Harry? 'Cause if you are, I'm very unimpressed."

Her scathing comment caused him to flinch. Taking another pull on his Guinness, he murmured, "I'm afraid."

.oOo.

The paralyzing mortification was receding, replaced by a tender understanding.

"You loved her."

He nodded. Looking at her with an intensity that took her breath away, she heard his whisper, "And she was my best friend."

The implications of his declaration cascaded in her Kryptonian brain. Instantly, the natural result of their on-going relationship became clear. Super-Magic Babies. Lots of them.

But….

"Are you afraid of me or for me?"

He pursed his lips as he sat back in his chair. Nodding slowly he commented, "Good question. First off, I could never fear you. I've known fear. Monsters? Check. Demons? Check. Really Bad People? Check. Gorgeous Superpowered Women? Never."

She smiled at his witty reply. There was an aching low in her belly that had his name written all over it. "There's a problem though," she sadly reminded him. Their strength and indestructability had always been a problem for her and Clark to find compatible mates. Clark had found Diana, sort of, but there was no one who was a fitting counterpart for Kara.

He nodded. Leaning forward, he nodded to the table. "Shove your finger through the table."

Frowning, she looked at him, "I'm not going to announce to all these people who I am by shoving my finger through a solid oak table."

His laughter took her by surprise. "Love," the affectionate unconscious use of the word sent chills up her spine in a very good way, "They all know." Her shock must've been plain to see. Smirking a little, he sipped his stout. "You know how I came into town the other day for the birthday card for my friend?" She nodded, not liking where the conversation was heading. "Mrs Lauffey in the shop asked me how long I'd been dating Supergirl and was she as nice as she seemed in the _Times_."

Closing her eyes, she groaned. "And you said?"

Now he was laughing softly, "That she's even better."

Opening her eyes to playfully glare at him, she saw him sober and calm. The turnabout caused her to look at him expectantly. "What?"

"Would you shove your bloody finger through the table now?"

Rolling her eyes, Kara absently poked her index finger at the table. She was surprised when it didn't push through it like paper. Frowning, she pushed harder. The oak groaned slightly, but didn't break.

Looking at her partner in surprise, she saw him smiling. "A spell. Makes an item indestructible. I figured since magic works on you, it should work in relation to you as well."

Impressed, she nodded. "Ok, but how does that keep me from snapping you like a twig when you make me orgasm for the third time?"

Kara was gratified to see a scarlet blush leap to his cheeks. Pushing the embarrassment factor up a notch, she leaned forward – giving him an excellent view of her substantial cleavage – and whispered, "I have every confidence in you, Harry."

He gaped for a full ten seconds before roaring laughter. She joined him, chuckling at the situation, but privately hoping that he had a magical solution to their physical disparity. The more she considered it, the more Kara wanted Harry. A lot.

When he settled, after wiping the tears of laughter from his face, he absently took her hand. "You may not be aware, but I have a little more…mojo," he twirled his fingers to indicate 'Magic', "than the average bear."

Gently rubbing her thumb across his knuckles, she replied, "Not really. I told you about Zatanna, but she's more into conjuring and small things."

"Well, I'm probably the most powerful wizard on the planet right now for a variety of reasons. One of them is because…" he fidgeted and tried to pull away.

She wouldn't let him. "Because why?"

With an angry, sarcastic expression that was unusual for him, Harry spat, "There is a children's story about Three Brothers…"

Five minutes later, she stared at him. "You're the Master of Death?"

He shrugged, his venom spent. "I'm not really sure. I've not really had a sit down with him…her…it. I mastered the three talismans, though, that's for sure. After I killed Voldemort, I pretty much forgot about it until I couldn't find my cloak. Then I realised that I couldn't find the wand, either. In my panic, I wished that Hermione was there to help. Before I knew it, her shade was in front of me.

"It's as if I absorbed the Hallows or maybe their abilities. I can become invisible at will and don't need a wand. My body is the wand."

"The most powerful wand ever," Kara breathed. He nodded before polishing off his stout. Holding up the empty toward he publican, he waited for a refill before continuing.

"Mind you, I was always powerful. Hermione told me that in order to successfully repel all those Dementors in third year put me in the top one percent of the magical population."

"When you were thirteen."

"Yeah." Sighing, he shrugged, "So, I'm naturally more resistant to disease and injury. My heightened power makes it more so. I haven't aged physically since that day a few years back. Also, some potions are enhanced by the power of the drinker."

She cocked her head. Her eidetic memory recalled Harry combing that enormous book. "The potion you were looking for the other day?"

Nodding, he told her, "I remember Hermione mentioning a potion that made the drinker indestructible for a period of time."

They paused, regarding each other.

After a long moment, Kara offered, "Harry, I read really fast."

"Good."

She smiled. _Oh yeah. Hot freaky sex coming up soon._

.oOo.

**Patience and Diana**

.oOo.

"Whaddya mean it takes four months to brew?"

He smiled at her, "Read the instructions again, love."

"Damn," she muttered. "Four months."

.oOo.

Harry had just checked the status of what Kara had begun to call, 'The Brew' when a pulsing buzz started sounding from her purse.

"What's that?" Harry asked. "I didn't know you had a mobile."

"I don't," Kara replied. "It's my League communicator. I'm still a member, just in reserve right now." Opening the comm, Kara announced, "Supergirl here."

The distinct voice told her, "Kara, J'onn, here. We have a Code Black in Boston. You're needed."

She nodded as she kicked off her boots, "Situation?"

"Unknown," the Martian Manhunter replied. "Wonder Woman called for a Code Black before I lost contact with her. Wally and John are already there. We need you, now that Clark…"

"I'll be there in less than a minute," Kara told him. "Supergirl out." In a blur, she changed out of her turtleneck and jeans into her uniform.

Caught up in the situation, she turned to launch out of the window when she heard Harry call, "Come back when it's over."

Turning back, she saw him standing there, watching her intently. Obviously, he heard the conversation. Throwing all caution to the wind, she threw herself into his arms, kissing him passionately. She needed him to know. She needed to know. It was beyond her wildest dreams.

To her surprise, he kissed her with enough force so that she not only felt it, but was overwhelmed by the sensation. When he slid his tongue inside her mouth, she groaned in desire and frustration. Pulling away, she gently laid her head against his. "We'll need help, can you come?"

He was panting a bit, "Don't think so. I just used up a lot of magic to kiss you like you deserved. I'm a bit drained now."

With deliberate delicacy, she leaned forward, kissing him with a gentle affection that was just as stimulating as their passionate kiss earlier. "I'll be back." When his arms dropped from around her, she rocketed out the window. Fifteen seconds later, she descended into Boston.

.oOo.

To anyone who only had seen a picture of her or had a passing acquaintance, Wonder Woman looked fine. To Kara, who knew her very well, she looked like crap.

The alien invasion had been repelled. Hal had recognized the species as a low tech/high muscle species from Alpha Centauri. He and the other Lanterns were investigating where they acquired their ships and weaponry while the rest of the League assisted the local authorities with clean up.

"Diana," Kara called. "Wait up." She flew over to the older woman, alighting on the rooftop with her. Placing her hand on the brunette's shoulder, Kara asked, "How are you?"

The Amazon princess replied, "I am as well as can be expected. I sustained no injuries."

Kara frowned, "I wasn't talking about how you were doing from the fight."

Diana's beautiful face fell. Dark circles were under her eyes and her dusky Mediterranean looks were pale and grey. That told the blonde Kryptonian all she needed to know.

"Come on. I want you to meet someone."

Frowning, Diana rebutted, "We need to help them clean up. There are people who are probably still trapped in the rubble over there."

Kara paused, listening intently. "Nope. No one over there. Power Girl is taking care of the mess in the harbour with Aquaman. Let's go."

Sighing, Diana temporized again. "The embassy…"

"Diana," Kara interrupted. "Stop. You need a break. Come with me. You'll like him."

With a faint smile, Diana teased, "Him? Is this why you're in such a good mood?"

Kara's spirits plummeted. Just the subtle reminder of Clark's death was shocking in its pain and intensity. "Not good, but he's helped me and, well, I think I'm in love."

Now Diana did smile. "Well, then I must meet him."

"He's in Wales. Follow me. He knows about us," she told the Amazon, implying Harry's knowledge of her double identity.

After a quick call to the Watchtower informing the League of Diana and Kara taking two weeks off, the two metahuman women flew to Great Britain.

.oOo.

Harry was pacing back and forth in the front hall of Rowan Hill. Every so often, he'd open the front door to move outside. Standing in the evening winter rain in northern Wales wasn't fun. He'd not be able to see her coming anyway. So overcome with dread and worry, it didn't occur to Harry that he could use magic to not only find her, but also be comfortable. That didn't matter. The only thing that mattered was that she was safe. Finally, he couldn't stand the waiting and worrying, so he stayed outside in the rain. Staring at the heavens he waited and prayed.

He loved her. It'd been a sudden realization as she'd flown off to save the world from whatever was threatening. Harry was unaware of League protocols, but figured that a Code Black had to be very bad when they called in Supergirl from bereavement leave. The implied threat to her safety scared the living hell out of him.

Having just found her, he didn't want to lose her. Hermione's death had driven him to the brink of suicide. Should Kara die, he'd no doubt that it would take the entire combined might of the League to put him down. Madness was the least of his worries. He'd go as Dark as the night in order to extract his revenge on those who'd dared to hurt his beloved. Suicide by Cop they called it in the mundane world. It was the same principle.

Dobby had popped in at various times, asking if 'my Lord Harry Potter sir' needed anything. For the first time in his life, Harry was curt with his diminutive friend. Fortunately, Dobby seemed to understand.

Standing in the rain, he waited. Looking up, he saw nothing but the purplish/black sky and the freezing cold rain as it drenched him.

The click of her boots on the flagstones as she landed caused him to turn.

Drenched to the bone, she stood there in her uniform. Her blonde hair was plastered to her head, the red cape hanging heavily from her shoulders. He didn't care. Infusing his body with his magic, he crushed her to him, branding her with his kiss.

She kissed him in return with a passion that was blinding. Her hands wove into his hair while, he held her close. Finally, he broke the kiss. Panting with emotion, he was afraid to open his eyes. In an undertone that he knew she'd hear, he told her, "I love you."

Her hands moved to his cheeks, but she was silent. Slowly opening his eyes, he saw Kara watching him, a joyful expression mixed with tears that ran down her cheeks, mingling with the rain. With premeditated deliberation, she told him, "I love you, too."

His smile was irrepressible. Joy bubbled up like a fountain, erupting in laughter as he embraced her. Wrapping his arm about her, he nodded to the house, "Let's get inside." She beamed a smile at him, wrapping her arm about his waist. Snuggling her into his side, they moved to the entranceway.

Turning to the doorway, he saw Diana, Princess of Themyscira watching the two of them. Harry was glad to see a small smile on the Amazon's face for she was very forbidding otherwise. "Oh," Kara said in soft surprise. "I forgot. Harry, this is Diana. Diana, this is Harry."

He closed his eyes in embarrassment. Of course, his declaration of love for Kara had to be done in front of the famous Amazon Princess.

After a moment, he opened them, smiled and extended his hand. "Your Highness, welcome to Rowan Hill."

"I'm very pleased to meet you, my Lord Potter," she replied with a smile.

.oOo.

Kara had accepted the Drying and Warming charms from Harry before she headed to her room to change. She'd left Harry and Diana as he escorted her to her rooms for their stay.

She did a quick change, checking her hair in the mirror and wondered if she'd put on any makeup. Pursing her lips, she decided against it. Unchecked, her laughter rang like silver bells. _He loves me._ It was such a wonderful feeling that she was surprised by the intensity of the emotion.

Moving faster than sight, she sprinted to his rooms.

.oOo.

"I'm sorry about earlier, your Highness," Harry told her with an uncomfortable rub of his neck.

Diana had to smile. "I am the one who is sorry, my Lord. I interrupted your and Kara's declarations to each other. It was a beautiful and special moment that I am honoured to have witnessed." Deciding to tweak the young man's nose a bit, she added, "Of course if you break her heart I will be obliged to kill you."

She was surprised that he started to laugh. His grin was infectious and when he told her, "Oh, please. Thank you for that. I needed a good laugh," she couldn't help but grin in return.

Mock offended, Diana asked, "You don't think I'm serious?"

"I know you're serious. It's great to be treated like part of a family again," he grinned. "By the way, please just call me Harry. I wasn't raised with my title and it still makes me a bit uncomfortable."

She nodded graciously, "Very well. You must call me Diana, then."

"I'm honoured." He looked at her oddly before asking, "How did you know about me and my title?"

"When you were fighting the Dark Lord, the League was briefed about the situation. We were mobilizing to assist when you killed him. I must say, I'm very impressed with your exploits. You have earned the right to walk amongst the heroes of the gods."

He nodded, sobered by the memories.

They came to a large double door on the second floor that he opened for her. "These are your rooms, Diana. If you require anything, just call for 'Dobby' and he'll take care of it. Are you hungry? I was going to have a small meal prepared. Kara likes a late evening snack."

She nodded, "I could eat. Thank you, Harry."

As he closed the door behind her, he told her, "Thirty minutes, then."

Unslinging the small bag from her shoulder, Diana moved toward the en suite bathroom. As was usual for the past months, she did her evening ablutions. Most nights it was because she would use the Watchtower's training rooms to wear her out. Tonight, the heavy fighting had accomplished the same. It was the only way she could sleep. The masque of composure slipped away revealing a woman racked with grief and guilt. She was lost in the world and slowly abandoning all hope.

Kal.

Dropping her head to the back of the tub, she barely noticed the perfect temperature and scent of the bathwater. Her body convulsed with the first suppressed sob. Seeing Kara and Harry realize all that she'd longed and yearned for had been like a javelin through her chest.

Kal.

Unbidden and unwanted, she completed her nightly routine by crying herself to exhaustion for her lost love.

Kal.

.oOo.

Harry stepped out of the shower, a stupid grin still plastered on his face. _She loves me._ A wave of his hand and he was dry with his hair stuck up at all kinds of odd angles. No matter his magical might, his hair was still an unmanageable mess.

After pulling his boxers up, he headed to the dressing room. Humming a tune, he would randomly sing, "She loves me, yah, yah, yah…she loves me…"

While pulling his jeans over his slim hips, he heard her say, "You should really let Paul and John sing it, love."

The stupid smile firmly in place, he turned to see Kara lounging on his bed. It was the most erotic thing he'd ever seen. Shirtless, he let his eyes rove over her form in a manner that he'd not allowed himself to do so far. Now, he was hers and she was his. When his eyes made their way back to her face, he saw that her eyes were doing the same over his body. It made him want her all the more.

"Hey."

"Hey, yourself," she replied softly.

"The Brew isn't ready. Won't be for a few weeks yet."

"I know."

"Will you move in here anyway? Share my bed and my life?" He knew what he was asking her. Not only to enter into a romantic relationship, but to enter into a partnership. He and She. It was to be everything but the monogrammed towels and the only reason he wasn't ordering those was because he didn't have a ring on hand. Before the next Christmas, Harry fully intended on wedding Kara Kent. And he knew that she knew it.

The seriousness of the moment gave way to happiness. She beamed at him. "I'd like nothing better."

"Good. Dobby?"

The house elf arrived in an excited _pop_. "Please move Miss Kent's belongings into the master suite this evening."

"Of course my Lord Harry Potter sir!" he squeaked before _popping_ away.

"I swear, he's going to stroke out if he doesn't calm down," Kara drily commented.

He smiled, the seriousness of the moment broken. Pulling a T-shirt from a drawer, he nodded to the door. "Late night snack being prepared as we speak. Let's eat."

.oOo.

Kara was a bit nervous. "Which side of the bed do you want?"

Harry grinned, "I'll give you the side closest to the loo." Shuffling over to the left side of the bed, he tugged his T-shirt over his head. Kara did her best not to drool. Harry wasn't a huge hulking guy like Clark had been, but his lean, muscled torso sent her libido into overdrive.

"Are you sure The Brew isn't ready?" she husked.

He half turned to see her standing there in a thin cotton sleep shirt, her arousal evident. Kara knew that she had a good figure. Kryptonian birth matrices insured that she was a prime physical specimen. Harry's reaction, while common, always stimulated her. His eyes widened before his pupils dilated. Her senses followed the flutter in his heartbeat along with the raspiness of his respiration. Kara groaned. He wanted her as badly as she wanted him.

"Sorry," he whispered as a half grin appeared on his face. With a half twist, he disappeared. While she was used to his casual manipulation of magic, Apparition always took her aback.

From the bathroom, she heard the shower begin to run. The water was probably arctic cold. "Be out in a bit," he called. Chuckling to herself, Kara slid into the huge bed. _Oh, God. This is comfortable. I really like magic._

The lights went out as he rolled into the bedroom. She heard the whisper of his sleep pants falling to the floor. _Harry, you better have boxers on or we're going to have a problem_.

The sound of cotton on silk caused her to sigh in relief. His warm arm sliding across her chest caused her to sigh in contentment. He gently tugged her close to him as he melded his body to hers. Kara smiled as she wiggled close to him.

She was invulnerable. A nuclear warhead detonating on her chest would knock her out and maybe muss her hair, but that was about it. Laying in Harry's arms, though, Kara had never felt so safe, loved and…_right._

His murmur was easily heard, but still the barest hint of sound.

"I love you, Kara."

Smiling, she replied, "As I love you, Harry."

.oOo.

**Pain**

.oOo.

"Why is Diana so morose?" Harry asked in an undertone. He and Kara had just taken a walk down on the beach. The weather was cold and the wind brisk, but it had been bleakly beautiful. Diana stood at the top of the cliff, looking out over the bay.

The Princess had been depressively quiet and reserved since coming to Rowan Hill. She'd put on an act for the first day or so, trying to be sociable for the newly acknowledged lovebirds, but that'd quickly fallen by the wayside.

Kara shook her head. "They never confirmed it, but I believe that she and Clark were in love."

He frowned. "Did they acknowledge it to each other?"

There was a painful sorrow in Kara's eyes when she turned to him, "I don't think so."

Harry shook his head in pity. _Imagine being eternally stuck in a place where I loved Kara, but never had told her. Never kissed her. Never awoken next to her._

"What can we do?" he asked. While Diana wasn't a very close friend, she was Kara's friend. Harry never left a friend in need.

"I don't think there's anything we can do." Her sadness in sympathy with and for the Amazon was palpable. "She needs Clark."

.oOo.

"This is a wonderful home. Thank you for allowing me to stay."

Harry looked up from his book. Kara had flown home to Metropolis for a few days and wanted to check on the Kents back in Smallville while she was there leaving Harry and Diana alone at Rowan Hill. He was comfortable with the still painfully grieving woman in the house, but was unsure how she felt.

"Thank you," he replied. "It's all very new for me. I grew up with my mother's sister and you couldn't find a home much more diametrically opposed to Rowan Hill as you would find with them."

She regarded him for a long moment. Harry was forcibly reminded of Professor Dumbledore's soul baring stares. "You were unhappy with your Aunt and Uncle. Did they mistreat you?" Her directness was offset by the sadness that lurked in her gaze.

The matter of fact delivery of her question left him disarmed. Without consideration, he told the truth. "Yes. They were animals who treated their flesh and blood as if they were rapacious predators."

Diana's face became more sombre. Nodding to herself, she leaned back in the overstuffed chair. "You are a warrior, your accomplishments announce as much," she said aloud. It was as if she were establishing known facts. "You have suffered much, yet you still fight for those who cannot fight for themselves. As such, you are – by definition – a hero."

Surprisingly, Harry didn't rebel at the word. All his Hogwarts years and the first few years after the Battle for Hogwarts, he loathed the word 'hero' being used in conjunction with himself. However, when Wonder Woman made the pronouncement, there was a credibility and credence behind her words that overcame his hesitation.

"Thank you," Harry told her. The quiet sincerity in his tone caused her to stop her musings, regarding him with a curious air.

"You're welcome."

Now, Harry regarded the haggard Princess with curiosity. In their exchange, they'd become friends: she the immortal Princess of the Amazons and him, the maybe immortal Master of Death. Vulnerability, especially willing vulnerability, always seemed to bind him to another person. He felt that there was something that he should do or say…finally, he decided to be direct. She'd done him the honour of being direct, so he'd do her the same.

"Grief is illogical, non-linear and completely consuming, isn't it?"

Unsurprised, she nodded.

"You loved him with all your heart and now he's gone."

She froze. Her face taking on a look that was more fit for a panicked animal, her eyes darted about the room, looking for an escape.

"I was in love. It was during the war." Harry's light, almost nonchalant delivery was neither calculated nor intentional. It was a result of him acting without consideration. Following his instincts. He'd not even told Kara about this, but he felt that Diana _needed_ to know.

Her bright blue eyes bore into his own. The intensity in her gaze was daunting, but he kept on with his story. "Her name was Hermione. She was my best friend and my lover."

She flinched for a moment so he pounced. "Clark was your best friend in all ways, wasn't he? He was the one you turned to when it hurt, when you wanted to celebrate, when you had questions. He was your everything?"

Without looking away, she whispered, "Yes."

"Were you lovers?" It wasn't a perverted question nor a disgusting search for sexual details. He was merely trying to understand.

"No."

"But you wanted to be."

She sighed. "I didn't realize it then, but now I realize that I did want him in that way."

Harry nodded briefly before picking up the thread of the story. "Hermione was always there for me. We laughed together and cried together. She held my hand the first time that I knowingly confronted death. She was my lover, my anchor and my conscience. Were it not for her, I would've run so many times."

Diana's tears began to run down her face. She didn't seem to notice, so completely was she focused on Harry. Obviously, he'd hit a nerve for her and her relationship with Clark. Clark had been to the Amazonian warrior what the bookish witch had been to him. What Kara was now to him.

"She gave me courage and strength so that I could be myself. That I could do that which was impossible. Kara does the same for me. I hope that I can find my Happily Ever After with Kara that I thought I'd lost forever when they killed Hermione."

Now Diana began to weep. Her face furrowed and her strong shoulders sagged.

"They killed her in the most brutal way possible. I know that she suffered beyond human suffering."

Covering her face, Diana began to keen her pain. From what Harry had read in the _Times_, Clark's death at the hands of that Doomsday creature had been beyond brutal. Diana's cry began as a low wail but soon was a shriek of pain, anger, rage and grief.

He sat there, waiting. Harry had never met an Amazon before Diana, but he'd read about them and their home of Themyscira. Understanding her need to vent her pain in her own way, he waited.

Finally, the shrieking and cries became sobs. As her body crumpled on itself, Harry stood. Moving to her side, he wrapped an arm about her. Diana instinctively turned into him, hugging him tightly. The human contact, the need for comfort was all there was. Harry felt that he might as well be hugging George Weasley, despite Diana's goddess blessed looks. Diana was his friend. Besides, he liked blondes.

When her sobs became tears, he told her, "So many that I've loved have been killed. My parents, godfather, uncle figures, friends and my lover. All have been taken from me by evil. I understand your pain for I have lived it." He gently stroked her back. "I love Kara with all my soul, but I understand your pain."

For a long time, they sat there with their bodies entwined drawing on each other in their shared grief.

Calming, Diana blew her nose on a conjured tissue. In an attempt to lighten the mood, Harry asked, "Do you know how to play cribbage?"

.oOo.

"Kara, if you do not marry that man, you are a fool."

Kara blinked. She'd just returned from a quick trip back to Metropolis and Smallville. It hurt too much. Hovering overhead, she'd watched Martha feeding the chickens. Unexpectedly, the older woman dropped her bowl of seed and began to sob.

Her own tears falling freely, Kara had turned east and rocketed off to Wales. She needed Harry. On one level, she knew that there was a bit of cowardice in her actions. Ma Kent needed her. Needed her family to help her cope with the loss of her beloved son, but Kara felt too raw, unequipped and too much buried in her own pain to help another.

She needed Harry.

Flying at a leisurely nine times the speed of sound, it took her thirty minutes to make the trans-Atlantic flight. The entire time, she wondered.

She wondered if she was fit to wear the crest of the House of El.

She wondered if she was fit to love Harry and be loved by him.

She wondered what her father would say to her.

She wondered what Clark would say to her if he knew that she'd left his mother sobbing in the chicken coop.

She wondered what Harry would say if he knew that she'd left Martha in the yard. What his expression would be when he found out about her inaction in the face of grief and pain.

This last thought caused her to pull up. Hovering over Cardiff, Kara realized that it was time. Turning back to the west, she headed back to Kansas. Back to what remained of her family.

Staying for an hour, Kara had alternately held and been held by Martha as they caught up. She told her adopted mother about Harry. How she'd fallen in love.

As Martha stroked Kara's golden hair, she whispered, "I know that Clark would have been overjoyed, my dear."

A nudge to her leg caused Kara to look down. Leaning on her leg was Krypto. The white dog had an expression on his face more suited to a mourner at a funeral than to that of a dog.

"He's been moping," Martha observed. "Jonathan tried to get him out of the barn, but the big lug just lay there." The grey haired woman took a steadying breath, "I think he's waiting for Clark to come home."

Scratching the alien dog between his ears, Kara told him in Kryptonian, "You can come with me, boy."

After a promise to visit more often, Kara had rocketed across the ocean, the dog in trail. This time, she was grinning. Harry's trick of infusing his body with his magic allowed for some serious make out action and she needed some hot Welsh born Wizard lovin'.

She and Diana made a point of landing on the veranda or the front lawn before entering the house via the doors. They both considered it rude to fly into the house unless it was an emergency. Kara was tempted to label her aching libido as an emergency, but decided that patience was a more delectable course of action. Seeing Krypto lope across the grounds toward the forest, she turned to the house where she was met by the Princess.

Diana's announcement about Kara's marital prospects took her aback. Blinking as she processed the statement, the Kryptonian grinned. "I have every intention of saying 'yes' when he asks. Don't worry about that, Di."

The tall Amazon smiled. "Good." Wrapping her arm about the younger woman, she asked, "Now, tell me: why is he so bad at cribbage?"

.oOo.

**Starting Anew**

.oOo.

"Oh, God," Kara gasped. Lying on the bed, she was panting and sweating from the past hour of love making without the act. Harry was _very_ inventive in the bedroom.

"Look," he'd said. "Even though The Brew isn't ready, doesn't mean we can't do anything." His wicked grin had inspired Kara. Each of the lovers had then driven their beloved to the trembling, begging brink before le petite mort took them.

He kissed his way up her abdomen through the valley of her breasts, along her neck before gently kissing her mouth. "I love you," he whispered between each kiss.

By the time he reached her mouth, Kara had recovered enough to pay him the attention that he'd been paying her. As she began to slide down the bed, he gently stopped her with his hand on her shoulder. When she looked at him with a questioning glance, he asked, "Do you trust me?"

"With my life," she replied without hesitation.

"What about your mind?"

She paused. Despite her physical invincibility and other gifts, she was very susceptible to mind control. It was always a sore point for her and Clark. Nodding, she told him, "I do."

Gently, he placed his hands on either side of her face. Cradling her with a gentleness that always surprised her, Harry softly directed her, "Look into my eyes. Invite me in."

In the flickering firelight, she watched him. Diving into the complexities of his eyes, she tried to convey the depth of her love for him.

Without warning, her entire being filled with the warm presence that she knew was Harry. His green eyes glowed for a brief moment. Giving herself over completely to the sensation, Kara threw back her head as it felt like every nerve ending in her body and her brain was caressed by his love at the same moment. Her orgasm was volcanic. Screaming his name, she convulsed in an uncontrolled way. Trusting him utterly, she gave all of herself to him that she could in that moment.

When the world came into focus again, she saw Harry lying next to her. "Whatever you just did," she told him through her panting breaths, "We are doing that again when we have sex."

In a very masculine way, he smirked. "Liked that, did you?"

"Lay back," Kara purred as she gently shoved her lover to the bed. "My turn."

.oOo.

"Harry, have you ever considered using your gifts for others?"

Kara frowned across the breakfast table at Diana. "So that whole fighting a war and killing a Dark Lord that threatened the long term safety of every being on the planet was a self-serving action?"

Diana smiled at Kara's defensiveness for her lover. "Touché. I meant possibly joining the League. Your power levels and experience would be invaluable." Glancing across the table at the glowering blonde, Diana added, "And it would give you time to spend with Kara."

Kara watched Harry frown. When he glanced at her inquisitorially, she pre-empted his question. "I'm going to have to re-join the active roster of the League soon. I have too much to offer to stay away. I can…" she drifted off as she looked to her lap. These past months with Harry had been the best of her life, even including her youth with her parents. Closing her eyes, she prayed that she'd not just screwed up the best thing she'd ever had.

His warm hand on hers caused her to sigh in relief. Meeting his gaze, she saw him considering. Knowing that his decision had already been made, she asked the pertinent question. "How would you work around the Statute of Secrecy?"

He smiled. "I'm The Bloody Boy-Who-Lived and The Man-Who-Won, they can bugger off." Making a face, he asked, "Would I have to wear spandex? Only Kara gets to see all that."

The two women laughed uproariously. Krypto looked up from his dining area that Dobby had enthusiastically arranged. Barking at the commotion, he added his two cents worth.

Shovelling his beans onto a slab of toast, Harry sarcastically asked, "What'd you call me? 'Harry the Wizard'?"

Kara stopped laughing at the sudden solemn expression on her ebony haired friend. In all seriousness, Diana countered, "No, Harry. You are The Warlock."

.oOo.

"So, why do you want to join the Justice League and why should we admit you?"

Harry frowned. The Batman was being The Prick. He'd been gruff and rude ever since Diana and Kara had arranged for this meeting between Harry and the Council of the League. Around the table were some heroes he'd heard of and others he'd never heard of before. A woman in tails and fishnet stockings was doing 'The Boy-Who-Lived-Gape-And-Stare' routine. It was as annoying when he was twenty three as when he was eleven.

"I'm here because Wonder Woman and Supergirl both asked me to join. They felt that I could help."

The Batman stared at Harry in a pathetic attempt to intimidate him. After staring down Lord Voldemort (and Minerva McGonagall) on multiple occasions, a dork in a cowl was small potatoes. Rolling his eyes, Harry stood. "Look, if you're such an incredible badass then you don't need my help, I'll be leaving." Nodding to Diana, he told her, "Thanks for the invite. The view up here is fantastic. I'll be heading home. If he gets his head out of his arse, give me a call."

Without preamble, Wonder Woman commanded, "Sit down Warlock." Turning to the Dark Knight, she glared. "Batman, either ask a viable question or be silent."

Harry smothered a smile. In his excitement at seeing The Batman put in his place, the Flash was squirming like a three year old who needed to pee while another woman wearing fishnet stockings, _What is with the bloody fishnets?, _ smiled as Diana went upside the head of the so-called World's Greatest Detective.

"While Wonder Woman calibrates our resident paranoid member," a blond haired man wearing what looked like an orange chain mail shirt began with a rumble, "I'll merely ask if you'd be willing to undergo a background check and some other basic testing."

This sounded more sensible. "Sure. That doesn't seem unreasonable."

"Good." The man that Harry remembered was called Aquaman, looked over to the first woman wearing fishnets. "Zatanna, would you like to test Warlock?"

She snorted derisive laughter. "No thank you. I like my limbs in the place they were when I was born."

Harry rolled his eyes. Apparently, she'd heard his story.

Batman ignored Wonder Woman's berating harangue after hearing Zatanna's refusal. Harry shook his head in amusement. The man would pay for that later; one only ignored Diana at their peril. "What do you mean, Zatanna?" Scowling at Harry again, he persisted, "What are you hiding?"

Now Harry was annoyed. Pointing at the man, he Silenced and Petrified him. "I'm done talking to you. Since you won't be nice, you can't play."

"Warlock…," Diana chided.

"Wonder Woman, he's being a dick. He's just lucky that Kara isn't in here. She'd have punched him."

The Flash poked Batman, giggling like a child as the stoic, immobile and grumpy super hero fell out of his chair with a crash. "Oh, man. You get my vote. This is just awesome."

Aquaman grunted while withdrawing from the conversation. A Robin Hood look-a-like asked, "Zatanna, can you fix Batman?"

She snorted again. "No."

The man in green tights frowned, "Why not?"

With wide eyes she gestured at Harry, "Because _he_ did it. I know who he is and there's no way I could undo anything that Warlock does. He has more magical capacity in his finger than I do in my body."

Harry sighed. Even after purging that bit of Tom Riddle's soul, the faint outlines of his scar gave him away. He liked the little bow tie mask that Kara had suggested, thinking that he could be a part of the team using his 'hero persona'. When she told him that the burgundy and white uniform made her want to rip it off, Harry decided that the uniform wasn't so bad after all.

Looking at the young woman across the table, though, he saw her recognition of him as Harry Potter and the history therein. No matter where he went, The Boy-Who-Lived always followed him. Looking about at the other's reactions to Fishnet Lady #1's comment, Harry sighed again.

The room had stilled.

A wave of his hand removed the spells from The Batman. "Are we going to be big boys and girls or do I have to shut your gob again?"

"I really like this guy," Flash whispered to the smirking Green Lantern next to him.

"Me too."

Later, all those who could move voted Warlock to be a full member of the Justice League.

.oOo.

Kara did punch The Batman. It put him in the Watchtower medical facility for three days with a nasty concussion. The last thing he remembered was Supergirl telling him, "Don't be such a bloody dick."

"Note to self," he mumbled. "Never insult Supergirl or Warlock."

.oOo.

"So, why are we with Robin Hood over there?"

Harry and Kara were teamed with Green Arrow for their first monitoring watch on the Watchtower.

She shrugged as she sipped her tea. Harry had completely corrupted her about tea. Dobby refused to ever serve coffee, calling it, "Unnatural, Miss."

"Usually, they put us kids with the 'older and more experienced members'."

Harry coughed as he snorted his tea. "Do they have any idea what we've done?"

"Love," she murmured as she took his hand. Harry beamed. Whenever she called him that or initiated even minor physical contact, he revelled in being in love with this wonderful woman.

"Being a superhero _is_ a bit different than going out there and slugging it out with the bad guys. There're also the local police that we have to work with. The press will show up. There's a lot to it. I have no problem with Green Arrow taking care of all that. Should things go well, then they'll want to have a press conference to introduce you."

He grimaced. "Press?"

She cocked a sarcastic eyebrow, "How did you hear about me and Clark in the first place?"

Nodding, he conceded, "Point."

"Warlock," Green Arrow called in a loud voice that was disturbingly familiar to that of Gilderoy Lockhart - pre-Chamber of Secrets that is. "Come on over here. I'd like to chat."

Harry and Kara slid out of their chairs, making their way over to the monitoring station. Halfway over, Green Arrow called out, "I'd like to talk to our newest member alone, if you please Supergirl."

In an unplanned comic move, Warlock and Supergirl turned to each other, both wearing sarcastically amused expressions. Harry turned back to Green Arrow first, "You do realize that she could hear what you have to say if she were in China and you in Brazil, right?"

Puffing up a bit, Green Arrow mumbled, "Be that as it may. Supergirl?"

Kara rolled her eyes, 'Whatever. You have your little talk. By the way," he expression became seductive, "He doesn't need that 'little boy talk'. He's all man."

Harry laughed when he saw Green Arrow completely flabbergasted.

.oOo.

Vanishing his costume, Harry groaned as he headed to the shower. The blue and red blur that passed him wasn't unnoticed, nor was the sudden turning on of the master bath's shower.

Grinning a lascivious smile, he joined his girlfriend in the oversized shower. She'd just ducked under the warm spray.

"Hey," he greeted dumping a blob of her favourite shampoo in his palm. Kara groaned in pleasure as he began to massage her scalp and wash her hair.

Her grin was almost tangible. "I thought Green Arrow was going to choke when you turned all of Toyman's little toy soldiers into flowers with just a wave."

Harry frowned. "I didn't like the way that little pervert was talking to you, though."

"Who? Arrow or Toyman?"

Now Harry's brow furrowed. "Green Arrow's like that?"

She shrugged, which, given their current state of undress was very distracting to Harry. "He's a bit of a man-whore. All the women in the League know it. Black Canary's got this bad boyfriend merry go round with him that's a bit pathetic."

Shaking off the digression, he persisted, "I still didn't like the way that Toyman bastard was talking to you."

She turned around, breaking contact with his massaging hands which told Harry that she was fairly serious. Kara loved having her scalp massaged.

"Harry. I'm Supergirl. I appreciate your sentiment, but neither need nor desire overprotectiveness from my boyfriend."

He grinned goofily at being labelled her boyfriend. She caught it and returned the smile. "Don't forget, that I'm your girlfriend, though."

Pulling her naked, soapy body close, he kissed her deeply. "I'll never forget it,' he murmured against her lips.

.oOo.

Kara lay in Harry's arms, both of them drowsing. Although it was late, they were still keyed up from their first mission together. Her internal debate still warring, Kara decided to just confront the issue.

"How do you feel about what he said?"

She could feel Harry's eyes narrow. "Green Arrow? Well, he very politely informed me that he'd read my dossier and wanted to categorically tell me that the League doesn't kill. We capture and turn over the perpetrators of illegal acts to the local constabulary."

The cold venom in Harry's voice made Kara wince. It was a very sore subject with Harry. He'd killed three men in his life. The first was an accident of magic when he was eleven. Then came Lord Voldemort. Arguably, the man killed himself, but Harry entered into the fracas with every intention of killing the dark wizard. He admitted that himself. None of those could ever be construed as murder. Both were self-defence.

The third was the man who led the torture and murder of both Ron and Hermione. Harry had hunted Walden Macnair for months and when he found him, had murdered him in cold blood. Due to Harry's fame and the atrocities committed by Macnair, the authorities had blindly looked away. Kara doubted that she'd have turned Harry into the police had she been aware of the situation. However, the fact remained that Harry had killed the man in cold blood.

It wasn't something he was proud of doing. In a display of his true character, Harry had forced himself to sit down and relate most every aspect of each time he'd killed. It had been a long night. At the end, Kara had embraced him, "I still love you."

She knew that with Harry's upbringing and experiences as a teen, he had no illusions about attaining universal popularity. Narrowing her own eyes, Kara had to swallow the desire to have a 'chat' with Oliver Queen about his pomposity, but in the end decided to leave it alone. Just like she didn't need Harry fighting her battles, he didn't need her to fight his own.

A warm glow settled over her. _We are a 'we'. _It was a pleasant feeling to accompany her to sleep.

.oOo.

**Surprise**

.oOo.

Harry nodded as he surveyed the potion. Mentally comparing the results to the receipt that he'd read at least a dozen dozen times, he was pleased. This was the longest brew potion he'd ever attempted and he'd nailed it. Withdrawing the five silver and the one platinum balls from the cauldron, Harry absently dropped them into a jar of fresh water. With a quick breath, he ladled thirty doses into unused vials. After siphoning the dregs into a beaker jar, he quickly corked the vials before casting the Stasis charm on all but one.

"Salut," he murmured before drinking it off in one go.

The tingling sensation was intense as it rippled across his body. Fortunately, the unpleasant sensation passed quickly. Once he settled, Harry placed his hand on the table before dropping a heavy book on it.

Nothing.

Tapping it with a hammer.

Nothing.

Hitting it hard with a hand sledgehammer.

Nothing.

Grinning, he headed back to the living quarters. At Rowan Hill, the potion laboratory was an outbuilding to protect the main house in case of catastrophic results of a potion mishap. Nearly skipping across the half frozen grass, he headed inside. Diana was in the drawing room.

"Hey, Diana. Have you seen Kara?"

Looking up from her book, she shook her magnificent head. "She flew to New Orleans. She said she needed a muffalata."

Harry rolled his eyes. Sometimes his Kryptonian girlfriend used her superhuman abilities for the most frivolous things. Grinning, he stopped the train of thought. Very distinctly, he remembered Apparating to Thailand to buy her a bouquet of her favourite flowers. She'd smiled and said, "If you've got it, flaunt it."

A thought occurred to him. "Diana, you're nearly as strong as Kara, right?"

The princess cocked a sardonic eyebrow, "I believe that I'm actually stronger than Kara."

Rolling his eyes again, he avoided _that _pitfall. "Excellent. Can you help me test something?"

Setting her book aside, she stood. With a grin, Diana asked, "Do you want me to lift something very heavy?"

"Actually, I want you to try to crush my hand," he quipped, extending his hand.

Diana blinked.

Harry laughed. It wasn't often one caught his tall, dark haired friend off balance. "The potion is complete. I just took the first dose. I've tried to smash my hand with a small sledgehammer and didn't feel it. Now, it's time to try metahuman strength."

She started to reach for his proffered hand. Pausing, she asked, "You can heal any damage I may inflict?"

Nodding, he replied, "Yep. Give it a good squeeze."

Five minutes later, Diana was annoyed and Harry excited. She'd been going full out and Harry had only felt a mild pressure. From behind him, Harry heard Kara call out, "I'm home!"

Grinning like a kid in a candy store, Harry said, "Thanks Diana!" before running out of the room.

.oOo.

"Oh my God," Kara gasped. Lying back in their bed, she panted heavily trying to catch her breath. Harry was collapsed on top of her and it was the most wonderful feeling in the world. Wrapping her arms about him, she pulled him close. With a soft smile, she also wrapped her long legs around his waist.

"Love you so much," he murmured into her ear.

She responded with a soft kiss on his neck.

His arms wrapped around her, holding her close. It was a vital moment for them. They'd crossed the Rubicon and there was no turning back. She was his as he was hers. Both of them had declared themselves for the other and that meant something to Harry and Kara. Both were honourable. Both were honest and sincere. Both were in love.

He pulled back, hovering over her. She stared into his eyes as he looked at her. From the corner of her vision, she saw his hand move to her cheek. The caress of his hand never felt so good.

"I love you," he insisted.

She could feel the intensity of his words. "I love you," she told him.

"Will you…?" he began before an insistent knocking on the door interrupted him.

Kara closed her eyes in frustration. In her heart of hearts, she knew that he was about to propose. Offer his life to her and ask for hers in return. It was a gift she'd gladly give and receive in turn.

"Kara? Harry?" Diana called through the door. "I'm sorry for interrupting, but J'onn is calling for the two of you in particular. The Injustice League is rampaging through Manhattan and he's calling for all Level One members."

"Coming," Harry called as he rolled off the bed.

Kara giggled as she flew to her dresser. "Didn't you just do that?"

He laughed as he cast a quick Cleansing charm over the both of them before donning his uniform. "And I plan on making you do that yet again as soon as we get home."

She grinned. The desire flamed hot and intense in an instant. Groaning, she threw herself at him. He caught her with a red hot kiss. "I want you right now," she whispered.

"Later, my love."

.oOo.

The wards flashed causing Harry to wake instantly. Before he knew what he was doing, he stood at the window, sleep pants on and calling, "Kara! Wake Diana but stay in the house!"

Scanning the front garden, he saw nothing. Running to the back windows, he noticed Kara blur from the room to wake Diana. Calling, "Dobby!" he skidded to the back window.

"There is a person in the back garden, my Lord Harry Potter Sir!" the excitable house elf squeaked.

Harry's eyes narrowed. Sure enough, there was a person standing there, staring up at the house.

Turning and squatting down, he gently grasped Dobby by the shoulders. "Dobby, Mistress Kara and Diana are susceptible to magic. I want you to defend them with your life if necessary should this person get past me."

Dobby nodded solemnly, "Dobby will protect them, my Lord Harry Potter Sir."

Just at that moment Diana and Kara skidded into the room.

Ignoring the short housecoat on Diana, he told them in a clipped hurried tone, "There's a person in the back who's breached the wards. I'm going out there to take him down." Staring at Kara he insisted, "I need you two to stay inside while I'm out there."

She frowned and began to object, but he overrode her. "You're both very susceptible to magic. If it's a wizard, you can be controlled to take me down. I need you up here and safe." His eyes pleaded with Kara. Diana's hand settled on the Kryptonian's shoulder, causing Kara to wilt.

"We'll stay up here. If you need help, though, I'll be there in a hot minute."

"We'll be there," Diana amended.

He nodded to them both appreciatively before Apparating behind the person in the garden.

His hands already up, Harry cast an overpowered Stunning spell at the intruder. Impossibly, the intruder rolled out of the way before it knocked him out.

He was up and charged Harry. There was a snarl that sounded like, "Diana," but Harry didn't wait to decipher the words. An overpowered Banishing spell sent the man flying at high speed into an ancient oak. Snarling, Harry's magical aura flared as the man moved again, far faster than a normal human.

The Reductor curse to the chest should have pulverized the obviously metahuman invader. Instead, it threw him against the now wrecked four hundred year old tree.

Again, the intruder did the impossible. Rising without hesitation, he began to charge Harry with renewed fury.

Casting faster than he'd ever done, Harry sent a chain of spells to subdue the idiot. A wide area Sleeping charm followed by a Binding charm and two Paralysis hexes put the arsehole down hard.

Walking over to the now bound, unconscious and immobilized man, Harry conjured a floating ball of light. In the illumination, his intruder was easily recognizable.

Dispelling his spells, Harry turned to the house as he shouted, "Diana! Kara! Get down here!"

.oOo.

Kara watched at the window as Harry fought. At her side, Diana muttered, "Hera, he is powerful."

Supergirl nodded, "If the three of us and Clark were in a fight, no one could take us."

Harry's aura flared a blinding white, green and red borealis. Kara squinted through the haze, "Come on, lover. Take this guy down."

She was doing her best to be cool and collected while the man she loved fought for his life. The reasons for her and Diana to stay out of the fight were sound, but it didn't ease the agitation in her breast to be out there at his side. Kara was a warrior, not a housewife. She wanted to fight next to her beloved.

"Again, he rises," Diana muttered.

There was something familiar about the intruder that Kara couldn't quite identify. When he went flying across the garden again, smashing apart the remains of the once beautiful oak, she began to worry.

"Harry needs to take this guy down. Right now."

"Yes," Diana murmured in concurrence. "The longer it goes, the intruder has more opportunities to surprise and hurt him."

"I'll kill him if he does that," Kara murmured.

A flurry of spellfire ended the fight. Kara let go the breath she'd unknowingly been holding. Relaxing her shoulders, she nodded. About to amble to the back to see who this guy was, she paused in panic when she heard Harry call, "Diana! Kara! Get down here!"

Together the two metahuman women moved faster than the eye could see to the back.

Looking down on the man illuminated in Harry's magical light, Kara froze. _It can't be._ Completely flabbergasted, she could only stare.

Diana whispered, "Kal?"

"He'll wake in a second," Harry said in reply to the unasked question. "It takes a minute for the spell I used to wear off."

Kara watched, spellbound, as Diana slowly moved to the prone figure of Clark Kent. Again, the lost lover whispered, "Kal?" Her hand reached out, caressing the bearded face.

His blue eyes blinked open, focusing on the Amazon. The Man of Steel's grin was pure joy. "Diana."

"Oh, Kal," she said one last time. There was joy, relief and love vibrating through them both. He reached for her as she reached for him. Their lips met in the middle in a kiss that was tender and yet explosive.

Kara's astounded expression met Harry's satisfied expression. As he moved to her side, he wrapped an arm about her waist. "Come on. Let's give them a minute."

The numbness of seeing her resurrected cousin/brother was wearing off. There was a giddy headiness that threatened to spur interminable giggles and guffaws. A wide grin blossomed on her face as she savoured the union and reunion between Clark and Diana.

Kara nodded, looking down one last time to verify that it was true. Clark had come back. Her sense of humour kicked in, "When you're done shagging each other raw, come on in and we can catch up."

Neither Diana nor Clark answered. Their mouths were otherwise occupied.

Laughing, Kara and Harry headed to the house arm in arm.

.oOo.

**Normal Life?**

.oOo.

"So, you're having sex with Kara."

Harry looked up from his book to see the now clean shaven Clark Kent looming over him while wearing a frown. Rolling his eyes at the 'big brother' routine, Harry snarked, "And you're having sex with Diana. Congratulations all around to us for being with the person we love most in this world." Narrowing his eyes, Harry added, "Though, if you hurt her like you did before, I believe I'll have to rip out your spleen."

Clark blinked. Then he laughed. Dropping into the chair across from Harry, he nodded, "I guess I deserved that." Extending his hand, he said, "Hi, I'm Clark Kent."

With his own genuine smile, Harry replied, "Harry Potter. Pleased to meet you."

.oOo.

Harry sat the cup of tea in front of Kara as he slid into the chair next to her. "Has it worn off yet?"

His blonde girlfriend blinked as she watched the League members mob Clark on his first return to the Watchtower. "No," she replied with a small grin.

Next to Clark, the omnipresent Diana kept a close eye on her now acknowledged beau. They weren't completely 'public', but to those who were close to the couple, they'd let it be known that Clark Kent and Diana Prince were an item.

Harry watched Kara for a long moment. She was still surprised when she saw Clark. He'd moved into Diana's room at Rowan Hill. All four of the superheroes enjoyed the privacy and family atmosphere of the Potter family seat. Even though he'd been 'back' for a few weeks, Harry still saw Kara start when Clark came in the room.

"I'd feel the same way if I turned around and Ron walked in the room," he told her.

She turned to regard him. Kara was his lover, best friend, companion and (hopefully) would be his wife. Their easy give and take, the simplicity of the trust between them always overwhelmed him. He'd never had this type of relationship, even with Hermione. In her blue eyes, he found home.

Rolling his words about, she nodded. Her face softened, "I've not thanked you."

Confused, he sipped his own tea. "Thanked me? For what?"

She took his hand. Rubbing his knuckles, she softly smiled, "For loving me. For taking care of my family. Don't think I don't know who paid the note on Ma and Pa's farm."

Harry shrugged. When Kara had mentioned the elder Kent's financial troubled, he'd arranged for the payment as a small thing he could do to relieve the then suffering of Kara's adopted family. He'd do anything for her. Anything.

Booster Gold dropped into the chair on the other side of Kara. Harry narrowed his eyes. She'd told him how this sanctimonious prick had been pursuing her for over a year and wouldn't take 'fuck off' for an answer. Warlock and Supergirl were known to be close, but their status as a committed couple wasn't known to the general League membership. Based on the curl of Kara's lip, and the colour in her cheeks, that status was about to be clarified.

"So, Kara," the blond superhero began with a wide, toothy smile, "What do you say we blow this popsicle stand for a night on the town?" The smooth delivery while his hand moved to caress Kara's arm incensed Harry. Kara was still holding his hand while they were in a fairly intimate pose with each other. _Poncy git._

Swallowing his ire, he sat back to watch the fireworks. Kara had told him that she could take care of herself, so he was going to let her. It didn't matter how much he wanted to break every bone in the blond ponce's body.

"Michael, if you touch me with that hand, I'll rip your arm off and beat you to death with the bloody stump."

Harry grinned. _Go get him, love._

Not being able to see past Booster Gold's goggles, Harry could only imagine that his eyes were surprised as the man's hand froze in mid reach. "Ah."

"Yes, 'ah', Michael." Jerking her thumb at Harry, she said, "Warlock is the man for me and more man than you could ever be, so leave me alone." With a snort, she added, "Or I'll let him loose at you. I'll just tell you that he took down Superman in two minutes."

"Oh."

"Bye, bye," she waved to the now pale man. Her sarcasm and disdain were plain to see for anyone with half an ounce of sense.

Clearing his throat, Booster Gold stood. "I've got to go." Nodding to the two, he finished, "Warlock, Supergirl."

Harry began to chuckle as Booster Gold hurried away. "That was awesome," he declared.

She preened. "I thought so." Looking about, he saw a half dozen of the younger female members of the League nearly vibrating with the need to discuss this new tidbit of gossip.

"Warlock, Supergirl and Green Lantern!" The Batman called out over the announcing system. He was the Watchtower watch supervisor and obviously some emergency had cropped up.

Standing, Harry held out his hand to Kara. "Thank goodness something is blowing up. I need to get out of here before the estrogen level becomes toxic." The teasing grin on his face was returned by his beloved.

"You love it. All these hot women wondering how good you are in bed. What kind of 'wand' you have." Her lascivious grin tempted him to blow off the Batprick to go ravish his blonde Kryptonian lover.

"Nah. There's only one superhot chick that I care about."

"Good answer, love," she replied as she led him out of the café. Harry's eyes were fixed on her intentionally swinging hips.

_I love being me._

.oOo.

"I'll be right back."

Kara kissed him on the cheek as she headed to the lavatory. Harry cast a quick privacy charm before turning to Clark and Diana. "Guys, I need help."

Clark swallowed his beer while Diana chewed her banger. Since coming to stay at Rowan Hill, the Amazon Princess had become a devotee of Bangers and Mash.

"Sure, what can we do?" Clark asked.

"Well, you see, there are no spells that give a wizard the ability to fly," Harry began.

"But the other day…" Diana began but Harry interrupted her, knowing she'd seen him.

"Exactly. I've been playing about with some Levitation type charms and have figured out how to make myself fly. My problem is turning."

"Turning," Diana deadpanned.

Throwing his hands in the air, Harry exclaimed, "Exactly! I can get going pretty fast. Not as fast as you two or Kara, but faster than the speed of sound. The problem is that I can't turn."

Diana put her hand in front of her face to smother a giggle while Clark shook his head. "I had the hardest time with flight." Shaking his hand at the smirking Diana, he scolded, "Some of us weren't flying when we were one year old and that was over two thousand years ago, dearest."

She smiled happily at the appellation. "Yes, dear."

Clark sat back in his chair, thinking about the problem. Turning to Harry he asked, "How do you turn?"

"Well, I lean into it, like I'm on my broom or skiing."

Shaking his head, Clark advised, "Try to think of flying in terms of itself. You don't walk the same way that you run and you don't fly the same way as you ride your broom. They're different so don't try to make them the same."

Nodding, Harry sipped his beer. "Good point. I'll do that. Go slow and feel my way through a turn."

Clark glared at the sniggering Diana, "That's a great idea. That's kind of what I did." He grinned, "I gather this is a surprise for Kara?

Harry nodded. "Yeah. I've been working really hard at this for a while."

The Man of Steel was quiet as he regarded the wizard across the table from him. "Harry, I really like you. I like you and Kara together and I think you're both good for each other so I'm asking this in all seriousness: what are your intentions for my cousin?"

This question was far different than Clark's 'big brother' routine of a few weeks before. With all the earnestness he could muster, Harry replied, "I love her with all my heart and want to marry her."

There was quiet as the older couple digested this sentiment. It was Diana who spoke up first. "You realize that Kara has an extended lifespan. She and Kal could live for nearly a millennia or longer."

Harry shrugged, "I figure I'll outlive her. A millennia with her is far more valuable than an eon without. I'll take all I can get."

The other two frowned in confusion. "How…?" Clark began.

Sighing, Harry began his explanation of his being the Master of Death and the anecdotal evidence that he'd stopped aging. Spells, potions and other age quantifying tools all evaluated him as exactly eighteen years old.

"It's a small sample size, but given the circumstances, I believe that I'm right."

"Hera above…" Diana exclaimed softly as her dark eyes rounded. Clark nodded mutely.

Eventually, he asked, "Does she know this?"

Harry nodded. "Before we even became involved."

Again, silence overtook the table. Harry tried not to feel awkward. He knew that this was some powerful news that Clark and Diana needed to assimilate. Leaving them to it, he dispelled the charm and resumed his meal. The scraping of a chair caused him to look up.

She was there. Real. Immutable. Beautiful. His.

"Hey guys," Kara greeted them as she slid back into her chair. "Did I miss anything?"

.oOo.

**Prelude and Aftermath**

.oOo.

The day that Harry and Kara thought they'd lost each other began like any other day. He woke first. Morning ablutions should have taken the usual fifteen minutes. The shower woke Kara which changed the fifteen minutes to an hour with mind blowing morning sex.

Harry teased his lover as they hurried to make their shift on the watchtower. "You're a little minx, you are."

"I didn't hear you complaining," she shot back with a smile. "In fact, you were shouting something that sounded like, 'Oh god, fuck me harder'."

"Actually, I believe that was you," Harry murmured with a red face. "You shouldn't tease."

"Oh yeah. I forgot." She branded him with a kiss. "I love you."

He regarded her with a seriousness that was unusual. "Kara…," _This time, I'm going to do it._

The buzzing of their League communicators interrupted them. "Warlock and Supergirl," the loud voice of Cyborg announced.

Harry sighed in frustration, dropping his forehead to hers as he shouted, "Yeah, Vic?"

"The Injustice League is tearing up San Francisco. Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern and the Flash are already there. Aquaman is en route with Mera. Superman specifically called for the two of you to assist. Superman warns that Metallo has a significant quantity of Kryptonite on his person."

Harry magically dressed the two of them as Kara replied. "We'll be there in ten seconds."

She caressed his face, causing Harry to close his eyes, savouring the contact. "Later," she promised. Every time he tried to propose to her, they were interrupted. It would've been comic had he not been so frustrated.

Wrapping his arms about her, he Apparated the pair of them high over the Golden Gate Bridge where they joined the battle.

.oOo.

Diana and Clark were gracious enough to leave the master suite undisturbed for three days.

.oOo.

The wedding was supposed to be small.

Clark and Diana were to stand up with them. Andi and Teddy were coming. The Kents and a few Leaguers were going to be there.

Then The Flash got involved. The hyperkinetic extrovert insisted that, "You have to invite all the original seven Leaguers, and if you invite them, then you'll have to invite all the other Leaguers…."

Harry shrugged. He didn't care so long as Kara was wearing her ring at the end of the day. They'd Apparated to Gringotts earlier in the day to comb through the rings available in the Potter Family Vault. Kara hadn't even blinked at the presence or appearance of the goblins. She'd picked a modest two carat diamond flanked by two sapphires.

Right there in the vault, he'd dropped to his knee, her hand in both of his. "Kara, I love you beyond all measure. I offer you my life and love. Will you be my wife?"

Her smile was warm and generous, "Oh, yes. Yes I will, Harry."

So far as Harry was concerned, he was already ahead. He didn't care who came to the wedding. Dobby was in a paroxysm of joy preparing the mansion for the influx of celebrants. Black Canary and Zatanna had cornered Kara, demanding her complete devotion to the preparations for the event.

Harry, Clark and J'onn went to a football match to drink beer. Halfway through, Diana and Kara showed up, demanding more beer than the men.

As she cuddled into her fiance's side, Harry asked her, "Who's doing the wedding preps?"

She guzzled the beer. Leaning into his ear, she whispered, "Can you hit me with the flim flam, but not as hard as last time?"

Smiling, he waved his hand. She grinned. Leaning in, she whispered, "I want to fuck you silly."

They laughed at the joke, while Clark looked at them strangely. Of course Superman heard that comment. Ignoring the Man of Steel, they enjoyed being with their friends. Taking a long pull on his stout, he pulled her close to watch the match.

.oOo.

"I do."

"I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss…."

Harry jumped the gun and had Kara in a deep soul kiss, dipping her back so that she was nearly parallel to the floor. Her hands were woven deep into his hair as the attendants laughed and applauded.

Who says there's no Happily Ever After?

A/N

1. I own nothing.

2. Recommendation for this fic is SuperPower by Wentworth360. Great fic.

3. This is a little something that I've been chewing on for a few years. I wanted to belt this out under 20k words as a break from Last Casualties and I think I've got it. Of note, this isn't a superhero story, even though it's chock full of superheroes. If you can't figure it out, it's a story about love, loss and a Happily Ever After.


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